Petroleum Business Review

Abstract Iran faces persistent challenges in balancing energy demand and sustainability, driven by limited social participation and the absence of integrated policy frameworks. This study introduces an innovative hybrid decision-making approach that combines PESTEL, SWOT, and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) models to identify, evaluate, and prioritize strategies for enhancing public participation in sustainable energy management. The research adopts a mixed-method design, integrating qualitative expert interviews and content analysis in MAXQDA with quantitative weighting and ranking through Expert Choice AHP. The proposed framework captures both macro-environmental influences and internal institutional capacities, linking social-behavioral insights with data-driven prioritization. Results indicate that developing targeted educational programs and creating interactive digital platforms are the highest-priority strategies, with normalized weights of 0.35 and 0.30, respectively, followed by local collaboration networks and incentive-based policies. The findings reveal that applying a combined social and analytical modeling approach can increase public participation potential by over 60 % and contribute to a 25 % reduction in energy consumption in the medium term. The study offers a novel quantitative–qualitative framework adaptable for developing countries seeking to operationalize community engagement within national energy transition policies.

Abstract Companies have access to various financial resources to implement available profitable investment projects, settle overdue debts, increase working capital, and pay dividends to shareholders. Correct decision-making and the ability of companies to determine the appropriate financial resources are the main factors in company success. The effects of financing on the company’s return and risk are the most important goals that management should consider when choosing a financing method and selecting resources that minimize financing costs. In this research, the fuzzy Delphi method was first used to identify financing methods and the criteria for selecting the appropriate financing method. Then, the AHP method was used to prioritize the parameters. This study showed that efficiency, cost, sustainability, operationality, fairness, and transparency are the most important criteria for selecting financing methods in gas companies. Forming subsidiary consortia, receiving facilities, issuing participation bonds, creating an investing company, presence in the stock market, creating a shareholder plan have also been identified as financing methods

Abstract The purpose of this study is to evaluate the financial performance of provincial gas distribution companies as affiliates for National Iranian Gas Company. To this end, we identified financial performance indicators in accordance with the requirements of NIGC through a review of theoretical foundations and interviews with a number of financial and planning experts and then prioritized using the Analytical Hierarchy Process method. These indicators lied in four groups of liquidity, capital structure, profitability and activity criteria, respectively. Then, the weighted indicators were analyzed using TOPSIS technique in Expert-Choice software and the final ranking of the companies was provided. The results showed that based on the identified criteria, provincial gas companies of Hormozgan, Yazd, Markazi, and Kermanshah had a favorable financial performance and Ilam, Mazandaran, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari and Zanjan provincial gas companies had a weak financial performance with respect to other companies in three years under review and some suggestions have been made in this regard.